Ditching-machine



FATEN' FFIGEQ PETER AHNIJUND, OF WEST UNITY, OHIO.

DITCHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.322,771, dated July21,1885.

Application filed April 7, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER AHNLUND, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at West Unity, in the county of WVilliams and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDitching-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked there on, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to ditching-machines; and it consists in theimproved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side elevation of a ditching-machine constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, and Fig. 5 is adetailed perspective view of an attachment.

. The supporting-frame of the machine consists of side bars, A,connected together by means of bars 13. Arms 0 depend from the saidsupporting-frame, and are supported upon and secured to the axle D bymeans of metallic straps E, which embrace said axle D, as shown in Figs.3 and at, and are secured to the front and rear sides of said arms 0.

Carrying-wheels F F are mounted upon the ends of the axle D, the wheel Fturning loosely thereon, while the wheel F is keyed so as to turntherewith.

At the rear of the supporting-frame is located an excavator consistingof the side sections, G, which are curved at their upper portion, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said sections G are connected together by shaftsd and a vertical partition, 0. A link-belt, H, passes around said shafts(l, and is provided with a series of excavator-lmckets, f. A guard orshield, g, is provided at the rear of the curved portion of theexcavator, and in proximity thereto is an inclined delivery-spout, I,which is centrally supported by an arm, it, while a connecting-rod, t,connects the rear of the de- (No model.)

livery-spout with the crank end j of the upper shaft, (1.

The lower extremities of the sides G of the excavator terminate in ashoe or scoop, J. The y said shoe J is connected by bolts k to the rearend of a longitudinal beam, K, arranged centrally, as seen in Figs. 3and 4.. The said beam K is pivotally secured to the lower ends ofvertical rods l J L by means of ears I and pivotbolts Z, the lower endof said vertical rods L L being enlarged and flattened to adapt them forsuch attachment.

The rod L plays vertically through a perforation therefor formed in acollar, M, coupled on the shaft D, the rod L playing through aperforated bloclg'M, supported by straps m depending from the front bar,B.

A whiffletree, N, is pivotally secured to the front portion of the blockM.

The beam K has attached on its under side, near its forward end, aplate, m, which engages a bail, on, on the upper side of a stubbar, of,carrying a series of depending cutters or blades, on m The lowerportions of the blades m m are turned inward, as shown most clearly inFig. 4.

Astrap, m secured to the rear portion of the stub-bar m is secured to ayoke, m which embraces the beam K, and is held thereto by a pivotalconnection, of.

A bar, m depending from the front portion of the beam K, carries aguide-roller, m at its lower end.

A gear-wheel, O, is keyed on the shaft D at one side of the centerthereof.

An arm, 0, is centrally pivoted at the rear end of one of the side beamsA and carries a stub-shaft, 0, at its lower end, upon which is mounted apinion, o, and a sprocket-wheel 0 A connecting-rod, 0 connects the upperportion of the arm 0 with a lever, 0 pivoted at its lower end to theouter side of the beam A, and carrying a spring-pawl, 0 to engage with asegmental rack secured on the upper side of said beam A. The saidspring-pawl 0* is manipulated by a thumb-plate, 0 secured to the lever 0and operating in the usual manner to disengage the pawl.

A standard, 0, is secured at its lower end to the inner rear portion ofthe said beam A, and is perforated at or about the center for of asprocket-wheel, O keyed on the end of lower shaft, d.

the, upper conveyer-shaft, cl, and around the sprocket-wheel 0". v

A shaft, 1?, is journaled centrally on the under side of the bars A, soas to playtransversely in bearings, and said shaft 1? has keyed thereona pinion, p, and two drums, pp sep arated by a reduced portion, 12*.

A platform, P, arranged in proximity to the rear bar, B, has a slotthrough which extends the lower portion of a lever, P centrally pivotedby a pin, p passing through said lever and through bearing-blocks 1)secured on said platform. The lower end of said lever I is bit'urcatedtoembrace the reduced portions 1). of the shaft P. A segmental rack, 11secured on the upper side of the platform is adapted to engage aspringpawl, 1), arranged on the lever 1), so as to lock said lever atany point of its pivotal movement.

Chains or cables q are connected, respect ively, to the rearend of thebeam K and drum 1) and to the lower portion of the vertical rod L anddrum p. Aratchet-wheel, r, is also mounted on the shaft 1?, and isadapted to have its teeth engage the bent end 1" of a springplate, It,secured at its forward endto the front bar, B.

A rock-shaft, S, parallel with the shaft P, is journaled in bearings onthe under side of the bars A, and has extending therefrom an inclinedpedal, 8, which 'is located immediately beneath the operators seat S. Aprojection or bail, s, on said shaft Sis adapted when said shaft S isrocked in its bearings to come in contact with the spring-plate R andlift the bent end out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel r.

The shoe J has arranged in its forward portion a section, t, whichinclines toward the front of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 3, andterminates a short distance in advance of the sweep of the bucketsfasthey pass around the A tongue, T, extends centrally from the front bar,B.

As the machine moves forward the cutters on m cut the earth to theextent of their depth, which earth is thrown inward and rearward by thebent lower portions of the said lower cutters. The shoe J, movingforward in line with the said cutting devices, theloose earth moves upthe incline of the "section if and drops into the space in which thesweep of the buckets f occurs. The said buckets f take up the earth, andpassing up the front side of the conveyer, carry'it over the uppershaft, d, after which they dump it into the in- By disengaging the pawl0 of the lever 0 from the rack 0, and moving said lever forward, thelower end of the arm 0 can be moved rearward so as to effect thedisengagement of the pinion 0 from the gear-wheel 0,

and consequently arrest the operation of the excavating-belt H. Bymoving the lever 19 upon its pivot so as to transversely shift the shaftP in its bearings and cause the pinion p to engage with the gear-wheel Othe drums p 12 will be rapidly revolved, so that the cables 9 q will bewound on their respective drums, and exerting a traction upon the partsto which they are connected will slide the rods L L in their bearingsand elevate the beam K, cutting devices, excavator, and shoe out of theditch.

Fig. 5 illustrates a device designed to be connected at its respectiveends to the lower extremities of the rods L L, in lieu of the beam K andappurtenances. The said device consists of a central bar, U, to thefront end of which are pivotally connected bars U U A curved plate, u,is centrally connected to the bar U, so that the ends of said plate playthrough slots therefor in the bars U U". A series of perforations, u, insaid plate permit a bolt to pass through the bars U U and engage theplate to lock the said bars in position thereon.

Each bar U U carries at its outer side a depending curved wing, U Theends of the wings maybe caused to approach each other by moving the barsU U on the plate a.

In operation the portion at which the bars U U are pivoted willconstitute the rear of the device, and the wings U will operate to takethe earth from either side of the ditch and more it into the same forthe purpose of filling the ditch, the extent to which the earth isremoved being dependent upon the adjustment of the bars U U on the plateu.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a machine embodying myimprovements is effective in operation and capable of performing thevarious operations incident to this class of machines, and is at alltimes under the complete control of the operator.

I claim 1. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of asupporting-frame, a shaft, D, having rigidly mounted on its projectingends the main carrying-wheels of the machine, a collar, M, secured onsaid shaft and vertically perforated, a longitudinal beam, K, locatedbeneath said machine, a vertical rod, L, pivotally connected too to therear end of the said beam and playing ment with the said windlasses towind the cords q q thereon, and thus elevate the beam Kand rods L L intheir guide,averticalexcavatingframe connected at its lower end to therear of the beam and at its upper end to the top of the rod L, and anendless carrier carried thereby having a series of scoops or buckets,and connections, substantially as described, for driving said endlesscarrier from the main axle, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in aditching-machine, of a supporting-frame and axlejournaled therein, and having at its ends the carryingwheels, anexcavating-frame adapted to play and be guided vertically and be heldagainst lateral play with respect to said supportingframe by the meansdescribed, an endless belt or carrier mounted upon shafts located insaid excavating-frame and provided with scoops or buckets, asprocket-wheel, 0 mounted on the end of one of said shafts, adrive-chain meshing with said sprocket-wheel, a gearwheel, 0, mounted onsaid shaft, a sprocketwheel, 0 journaled on the lower end of acentrally-pivoted lever, O, a gear-pinion, 0, also carried by saidlever, the said drive-chain also meshing with said sprocket-wheel 0 andan operating-lever and connections for moving the lever O to throw thesaid pinion 0 into and out of engagement with the pinion 0,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, ina ditching-machine, of asupporting-frame and axlejournaled therein, carrying-wheels mounted on the ends of the same, abeam, K. located below said carryingframe, rods L L, pivotally connectedto the front and rear of said beam and playing throu gh guides, asdescribed, a vertical excavatorframe connected to the rear of said beamand having an endless 'belt or carrier provided with scoops or buckets,devices, substantially as set forth, for driving said belt or carrierfrom the axle, windlasses p 10 mounted 011 a shaft,B, clutching devicesadapted to be thrown into and out of engagement with the main axle K andto said windlasses, and a cutting device pivoted on the end of said beamand consisting of the depending blades m m turned inward at their lowerends, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of excavating devices,mechanism for rigidly supporting the same against lateral strain orplay, mechanism, substantially as described, for elevating and drivingthe same, and means, as specified, adapted to be thrown into engagementwith said driving mechanism for elevating the excavating devices, abeam, K, connected to the excavating devices and vertically guided, anda cut-ting device pivoted on the under side of said beam, and consistingof the bar M and depending blades m m turned toward each other at theirlower cxtremities, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a ditching-machine,

of asupporting-frame, a shaft journaled therein and having rigidlymounted on its ends the carrying-wheels, a beam, K, located beneath saidsupporting-frame, rods L L, pivotally connected to said beam andvertically playing through guides, as described, a shaft, 1?, drivenfrom the axle, windlasses p 10 mounted on said shaft and carrying cordsor cables connected to said beam K, a vertical excavatorframe connectedto the end of the beam K and to the upper portion of the rod L,horizontal Y shaft journaled in said excavator-frame, an endless carrierpassing around said shafts and provided with scoops or buckets, asprocket wheel located on one of said horizontal shafts and driven fromthe main axle by means of the sprocket-chain and sprocket and gearwheels, a chute connected to the upper end of the excavator-frame, and arod, 2', connecting the rear end of said chute with the crank j on oneof said horizontal shafts, to vibrate said chute, substantially as setforth.

6. The combination,' in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-frame,ashaft journaled therein and having rigidly mounted on its ends thecarryingwheels of the machine, a beam, K, located beneath said frame,rods L L, pivotally connected to the beam and adapted to play verticallyin guides, as described, a vertical excavating-frame, an excavatingdevice located therein, connected to the rear end of the beam and to theupper end of the rod L, and driven from the said axle, a'shaft, P,provided with the drums carrying cables attached to the beam K, apinion, p, mounted on said drum-shaft, a gearewheel located on the axle,and means for throwing said pinion into and out of engagement with saidgear-wheel, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a device for moving thedirt into a ditch, the same being provided with wings U sccured to barsU U adjustable upon a plate, a, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, PETER AHNLUND.

WVitnesses:

PETER BooLIN, WILLIAM REAL.

